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BATHURST - Hallelujah for the playoffs.

That's the feeling of the Riverview/Moncton Streatch Wealth Management, the most powerful team in women's candlepin bowling during the past decade.

Riverview/Moncton, four-time champions since 2000, has no chance to finish first in the round-robin portion of this week's New Brunswick championship at the Bathurst Bowlarama Lanes.

But, with a record of 88-32, they're in third place and in the playoffs and that's where they hope to make some noise.

"Under the old format (round-robin winner takes the title) it would be over, but the playoffs (introduced three years ago) has added a whole new dimension to the championship," confessed Riverview/Moncton anchor Kelly Stoyles yesterday.

Stoyles, a three-time International Bowling Association singles champion, is all for the extra action.

"This is where this tournament is so much more fun now," she says. "You have that extra chance. Some points we lost this week have been against really hot teams. They bowled great, we were good, too and they were awesome matches. We lost, but the good thing is that doesn't mean it's over. There's still the playoffs."

Heading into today's final two round-robin rounds, Saint John Titans continue to hold onto first place with a solid 108-12 record. The Titans went 30-2 yesterday.

Atholville Fireballs, who took 22 of a possible 24 points yesterday, sit in second spot at 94-26 while defending champion Streatch Wealth Management is third at 88-32. Streatch Wealth defeated the Titans in last year's final.

Edmunston Riviera Stars are in fourth place at 90-38. They are followed by Moncton Fairlanes Team Meeting (78-42), Kingswood Lanes of Fredericton (80-48), Saint John Bowlmore Keglers (74-46) and Bathurst Havana Estetics (72-56).

The top six teams in the 16-team championship qualify for the playoffs.

The first and second-place teams get a bye to the semifinals tomorrow while the third-through-sixth-place teams clash in the quarter-finals.

"We'd like to be in the top two for that bye. We've been thinking about that for a few days but really, there's no worries. We're bowling well and we'll have a chance to win in the playoffs," Stoyles said.

Joining Stoyles on the Moncton/Riverview roster is Rachel LeBlanc, Tanya Ritchie, Ashley Frizzell, Regan Marshall, Stephanie Sinton and Stacey Cole.

Actually, the top six playoff format is special for a lot of teams.

"Believe me, it has totally changed how everybody thinks now," Stoyles said. "Maybe you start looking for first but then it boils down to keeping so many teams alive and fighting right until the end. In the stretch getting that sixth spot is just as important as winning the second. Everybody wants to stay alive as long as possible and get a chance to play another day."

Today's rounds are set for 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The top six teams will make the playoffs with the top two teams getting byes to the semifinals.

The quarter-finals are slated for today at 4 p.m. while the semis go tomorrow at 10 a.m. and the final is set for 1 p.m.

Stoyles leads the tournament with a 126.82 average. She's followed by Line Ward of Fredericton Kingswood (112.00) and Linda Beaulieu of Edmundston (119.27).

Top high single yesterday went to Beaulieu with a 175 (best of the tourney). The top triple yesterday was tossed by Line Ward of Fredericton Kingswood with a 413.

The top high team single yesterday was recorded by Atholville (634) while Atholville also tossed the high team triple of 1,809 (best of the tourney).

The tourney high scores turned in so far include: team single (Saint John Titans, 635); team triple (Atholville, 1,809), individual high single (Linda Beaulieu of Edmundston, 175); and individual high triple (Terry Ann Gionet of Atholville, 420).